"Dear Friends"
by J. Harmon Grahn
|
This is going to cover quite a lot of ground, in what I hope you will find to be an articulate, coherent, informative, and above all, intersting flow. If you follow up on the footnotes, most of which point to materials also available in the Freedom Digital Library, I am confident you will find much food for thought. It's been quite awhile since I've last addressed you as a group, and it will not suprise me if some of you have changed e-mail addresses in the meantime, or we have otherwise lost contact with one another. For me, the interim has been a time of continued introspection in endeavor to formulate an at least plausibly provisional "answer" to the general question... ah, "What's it all about, anyway?" Or words to that effect. I mean, here we are at the tail end of the year 2003, still inhabiting an increasingly non-viable planet; still hoping for the best, whilst perhaps fearing the worst; still looking for the "happy ending" to the current and past sequence of human history. Myself, the vision of "how life could be" has grown so clear and simple that it is almost a palpable reality in my imagination. Yet "how things are" continues to crash through my sublime dreams with devastating impact, and I am forced to ask myself, "Am I just another inefectual dreamer, after all?" Have I utterly lost touch with "reality;" and if so, what good is "reality?" What's the point? Is this really how the world ends, "not with a bang, but a whimper"? Have the human race come so far on this planet, only to crawl into a hole of our own digging at the end, and pull it in after us? I recently viewed the third sequel to The Matrix, which in spite of the extreme violence of the original film, I thought it was a highly visionary creation, and like many, viewed it several times. I was finally disappointed, however, with Matrix Revolutions, the film's third sequel, because, unliess I missed something important, it seemed to me that the "machine world" won after all. Neo's final showdown with Agent Smith ended with Neo being overpowered and turned into yet another Smith clone - all of which were ultimately "deleted" by the "machine intelligence" behind the Matrix. True, the "machine intelligence" made the choice of being "nice" for a change, and rolled back all the dark pixels and suspended the hideous Sentinels that had animated Agent Smith's nightmare world. But still, it was the "machine intelligence's" world, not man's, which prevailed in the end. Even if it's paradise, this is not my idea of "a good time." And you? The human spirit, it seems to me, demonstrates a craving for self-actualized, self-motivated creativity - which I believe is the expanded essence of that word we all use so often, love. Creativity cannot be fully exercised, however, in the absence of genuinely unfettered freedom. This is why I believe we were created with the capacity for "free will," the capacity to make choices, and to experience and explore their consequences - "good" and "bad." This, it seems to me, is the touchstone of "human evolution." It is the means we have been given to learn and to become fully human, and eventually, perhaps, to join the larger Cosmic community of fully self-realized human beings. So far in our planetary history, we have repeatedly made the choice of delegating our responsibility for free choice to "others," - to "chieftains," "kings," "high priests," etc. - and behold the world that has finally and repeatedly resulted from that overall strategy. The "authorities" to whom we have delegated our individual responsibilities have at last hijacked our entire planet and are headlong driving it - and all of us with it - right into the ground. This is all of our contempory predicament, and I submit that its solution does not consist of finding wiser or more benign "authorities" to whom to delegate our responsibilities yet again. This, apparently, was the ultimate "solution" offered by Matrix Revolutions: "The war is over! We're free!" Which as far as it went was "good news" indeed. Yet it was followed up with ...but the machines are still in charge. They promise to be "nice" now. This is not, in my opinion, a "solution" out of which a satisfactory human experience on planet Earth may reasonably be expected to rise. We've already "been there, done that," many, many times. Still want to do it some more? There is, it seems to me, an alternative solution, so simple in concept, yet so far-reaching in effect, as potentially to transform the Earth in a remarkably short lapse of time. It is simply this: each one of us reaches the realizetion, with deep and abiding certainty that we are not ultimately "many," but One. That is all. Nothing else is needed. The implications rippling out from this one abiding Truth are sufficient to transform utterly every human action, every relationship with anyone and anything "else." The "catch" is, no one can have this realization for anyone else. This is an inevitable aspect of our exercise of freedom, responsibility, and creativity. My realization will not suffice for you; nor will yours for me. Each of us must do it for ourselves. Each of us must come to our own realization and conviction, deep within our individual selves, that we are all One, and that any advantage "I" may gain at the expense of another is illusory, and no advantage at all to "me." For if I damage anyone or anything, I only damage myself; for everyone and everything are What I AM. This I must know, beyond theory, beyond doubt, for it must be the foundational basis for my every thought, word, and deed. This is so not because it would be a "good thing" to believe. It is so because it is so, not because I or anyone else says so, but because it is so, and "I" know it. Do you think a large enough fraction of the human race can reach this state and content of conviction in time to avert irreversable catastrophe for planet Earth and all its residents? If I did not myself believe it possible, I imagine I would give up the struggle for life in this world. Yet it is obviously a near thing. There are now six-some thousand million human residents occupying planet Earth, and that number is swiftly growing - at the rate, I understand, of an additional population the size of that of Los Angeles... every month!1 Of this large and swiftly growing human population, how many "self-realized individuals" constitute "a large enough fraction" to effect a global shift in direction? I don't know, yet I imagine it is significantly fewer than a majority; simply because the number of those who are purposefully active in the process of "swallowing the Earth" are relatively few as well. Their "progress" is entirely dependent upon the unconscious acquienscence of the vast majority, coupled with the absence of a purposeful minority with an alternative agenda. What if a sufficient minority, however many that may be, were to arrive at the conscious conviction that all are One, and act on this knowledge with every thought, every word, every deed they / we committed in our lives? What if the constituents of this minority were to spring from every walk and stratum of human society, in every part of the world? What if it were to take place not only among the world's "alternative people," who may have adopted "unconventional" lifestyles, manners of dress, grooming, speech, etc.; but also among the world's "mainstream," such as lawyers, bankers, doctors, policemen, soldiers, intelligence agents, news commentators...? What if even among the world's wealthiest plutocrats and tycoons were to be found those with the profound realization, deep within themselves, that all are One - and these too, with all their self-realized peers, were to act on this knowledge with their every thought, word, and decision, large and small? At first glance, this may seem a highly improbable scenario. The forces of habit and inertia are profound and persistent, and it may be difficult to imagine a circumstance in which a sufficient number of "self-realized" humans, as described, might reasonably be prompted to take deliberate action with sufficient conviction to bring about the required change in direction on planet Earth. In many cases, for instance, such action might threaten the career paths of those so acting, and a powerful motivation would be required to effect such action bearing uncertain consequences. Now consider this. Last month an interesting item came to my attention which I decided to publish in the Peace section of the Freedom Digital Library.2 It is writen as if it originates from some benign "extra-terrestrial" or "trans-dimensional" source, and it asks a simple and straightforward question: "Do you wish that we show up?" In Earth's manifest space. That is, given that we are already aware that "we are not alone" and live within the context of a Cosmos burgeoning with life, "intelligent" or otherwise,3 do we wish that those who show us the courtesy of asking for our invitation should make their presence manifestly evident to our "3-D" sensibilities? Yes or no? Taken seriously, this may not be a very easy question to answer. Imagine the spectacle of possibly thousands of "UFOs" showing up simultaneously in every part of the planet, making it unambiguously evident to every man, woman, and child on Earth that indeed "we are not alone," and have attracted the attention and presence of intelligent, technologically sophisticated beings from "elsewhere." It would certainly be a "shocking sight," to say the least, without prescedent in human experience or historical memory. What might be the short- and long-term consequences of such a spectacle? The consequences are almost impossible to predict in detail, for "we've never been here before." We have no similar or comparable universal human experience in our repertoire to guide us, or to suggest to us what the consequences of a "mass landing of 'ET' craft" might be. The eventuality, at least at first, would be entirely unknown to each of us alike, and no one on Earth would be in a position to claim legitimate "authority" to guide the thoughts, emotions, or actions of his or her fellow humans. The writers of the message under discussion represent themselves as benign, and point out that if they were of hostile intent, they would be manifestly (or unmanifestly) present here already, never having asked "permission" from anyone. Even so, I imagine it would quickly become abundantly clear to every human on Earth that we are all "one humanity," including every tribe, nationality, and race, and that the "unknown" in our midst is something, for weal or woe, we must all face together. If the "unknown" in our midst were in the event to turn out benign, this could be a profound step in a better direction for all humanity. Therefore - or nevertheless - my "vote" in this so-called "worldwide referendum" is a repeated and enthusiastic "Yes! I wish that you would show up!" - addressed intentionally to those who have shown us the courtesy of asking for our opinion in the matter, and promising to abide by it. It is not my wish to impose my preferences upon others, yet it appears to me appropriate to share with you my perspective, along with the line of thought behind it. To begin, I can state that I agree with Dr. Steven Greer's conviction that the issue of "extraterrestrial intelligence" is no longer a matter open to question or doubt.4 We are already hosting "ETs" on this planet, at least some of which are not here at our invitation, and are probably not here exclusively to advance our planitary interests. The evidence for this is overwhelmingly massive and consistent, and is popularly - and especially academically ignored - only because those in "authority" have persistently and fraudulently denied it, and so have deliberately inculcated doubt in the minds of those who have not honestly investigated the facts for themselves. It is also worth mentioning that, in a sense, "We have met the Aliens, and they are us!" I mean, how much more alienated can you get than the large mass of so-called "humanity" who continue to destroy on a large and expanding scale the planet upon which we all depend for our very lives? If we humans were "hostile invaders from outer space," we could hardly be more devastating to life on Earth than we already are - including to ourselves and each other. You want to see an "Alien?" Look in the mirror! So the situation as regards our relationship with "ETs" is that we human residents of planet Earth do in fact occur in the context of a rich and varied Cosmic community of intelligent beings of various races, forms, and motivations. This has been evident to a carefully selected minority among us for quite awhile - at least 60 years, possibly much longer - yet with exhaustive and meticulous care this information has been kept hermetically sealed away from the awareness of the "general public." We have been massively lied to in this matter, as in many others, and our Cosmic circumstances are in fact quite different than we have been deliberately and fraudulently led to believe. Therefore, in my view, inviting the contingent of "ETs" with the Cosmic courtesy not to come without invitation is - if they respond and "show up" - simply a matter of "setting the record straight" for all human residents of the planet, and making it irrevocably clear once and for all that we are not alone. We live within a far vaster context than the geopolitics being played out on the surface of our little world; and part of that context includes other sentient beings like (and unlike) ourselves. If this is true, we all need to know it. We can gain no possible advantage by sharing Cosmos with intelligent, purposeful "others," yet remain ignorant of their presence. If they're "out there," it's high time we "meet our neighbors." If this is not true, then we can hoot our invitations to the stars 'till we're blue in the face, and nothing will come of it. Now earlier on, I wrote that the solution to our contempory predicament "does not consist of finding wiser or more benign 'authorities' to whom to delegate our responsibilities yet again." So doesn't inviting the (we hope) "courtious and benign ETs" imply doing just that? Not in my intention, at all. My reading of their message - if it is "their message," whoever or whatever "they" may be - is simply that "they" have asked me, "Do you wish that we show up?" and I have replied, "Yes." That is all. I haven't asked "them" to do anything. For one thing, I wouldn't know what to ask; I haven't even met "them" yet. If "they" do "show up," then we'll see.... This may appear a desperate measure, a "shot in the dark," and it certainly is. We live in desperate times, and the only thing we can be sure of if we continue on our present heading is a global catastrophe which few if any of us may be expected to survive. At issue is simply the question, "What does it take to change decisively our present global heading?" I can't say for sure, other than "Something extraordinary." A "mass landing of ETs" would certainly be "something extraordinary." Whether it would be sufficient to motivate a major change of heading on a global scale is open to speculation. It seems to me at least possible that it could, inasmuch as one of its few more-or-less predictable conseuquences would be the sudden global awareness among humans that we are all, all "one humanity," in relation to "something else" in our midst. This would be at least the beginning of a very positive, and very necessary "sea change" in the collective human psyche. The consequences of not so changing seem to me certain, and neither you nor I are going either to enjoy them, or (probably) survive them.
Contrary to popular belief, energy is not scarce, on Earth, or in Cosmos. It is ultimately what everything is made of. "E = mc2" - which means that a physical mass (expressed in grams) contains a quantity of energy (expressed in energy units called "ergs") equal to the number of grams in the mass multiplied by the speed of light (expressed in centemeters per second) "squared," or multiplied by itself. Do the math, which is really quite simple, and you will be surprised how much raw energy is distilled in, say, a kilogram, or 2.2 pounds of anything composed of atoms.5 Even more surprising is the amount of "raw energy" available, not in matter, but in the apparently vacant interstices between the subatomic particles in atoms, and throughout the vacuum of interstellar and intergalactic space. This has been called "zero point" energy, among other labels, because it exists even in a vacuum at "absolute zero." We - all life, and everything that is - are effectively bathed, saturated, and surrounded by an endless sea of limitless energy. This energy is accessible to us by various known technological means6 - yet we persist in distributing energy through networks of wires and pipes, and suffer when these complex and costly energy delivery systems break down, or are interrupted. Do you know why? The answer is really quite simple. Energy is an integral component of Cosmos, and as such, is part of the limitless commonwealth of all Cosmic inhabitants.7 From our earliest origins on Earth, humans have been employing technologies, such as fire, to liberate useful quantities of the limitless energy that has always surrounded us. As our understanding of what is possible has grown, our uses for energy have grown as well, giving rise to new technologies, both for liberating energy, and for putting it to intentional human use. In recent times, i.e. primarily during the past century or two, large storehouses of readily available energy were discovered in geological formations containing what have become known as "fossil fuels," such as coal and petroleum. These fossil fuels have always been somewhat costly to extract, yet immensely profitable nevertheless, because of the industrial work to which they have been harnessed. At the time, technologies for extracting limitless energy "out of the æthers" had not yet been discovered, and so the most cost effective energy source for expanding human industry was by default fossil fuel. Thus the mining, drilling, refining, and distribution of fossil energy became the source of immense wealth for those who involved themselves in the "energy business." Notably, these were all men who did not share the realization that all are One. Therefore, as practical geniuses such as Nikola Tesla8 began discovering alternative sources of energy about a century ago, these discoveries were not welcome to the "energy barrons" whose stupendous wealth had accumulated through the sale of fossil fuels. They did not comprehend that free and abundant energy was, and remains, the gateway to limitless wealth for all humankind, including themselves. They only perceived that the advent of truly free energy would be the "death knell" for their prosperous industry. Accordingly, they employed their considerable wealth and power in the task of suppressing all energy technologies which did not posess the property of requiring distribution through meterable networks, such as electric cables and hollow pipes, which would continue to enable them, the "energy barrons," to extract a fee for every erg, joul, watt, or calorie consumed by human industry. I am not representing all this as necessarily an entirely "bad thing." Clearly, during the days when fossil fuels were the most cost effective source of energy known, it is only natural that those who developed means of extracting, refining, and distributing them should have been compensated for their service to human industry. It is simply a fact, however, that failing to perceive their Oneness in common with their fellows and with all planetary life, the "energy barrons" employed the advantages they had achieved in wealth and power in the cause of consolidating their exclusive energy monopoly, at incalculable eventual cost to humanity at large, and to the biological sustainability of the entire planet. By deliberately and persistently suppressing the emerging free energy technologies, they have obstructed access to the commonwealth that could otherwise have been freely and abundantly shared by all humanity.9 What if they had done it differently? Or were to commence doing it differently today? What if today's "energy barrons," or at least some of them, were to have the profound realization that after all, all are One, and that it would be to their ultimate advantage to live on a planet that runs on clean, non-polluting, limitlessly abundant free energy? What if they were voluntarily to harness their vast wealth and power to the task of developing the most promising free energy technologies, heretofore stifled and suppressed, and generally pushing along said technologies' availability to humanity at large? This single change in the hearts and minds of an extraordinarily few human individuals - from a mentality of "it's me against the world" to one of all are One - could potentially change everything on Earth, practically overnight. Can you imagine it? Can you imagine what it would mean in your life if one morning you discovered you could order delivery, at a cost of possibly a few hundred dollars, of a compact machine that would deliver "out of the æthers" all the energy you need to run your household, light, heat, and cool your home, cook and refrigerate your food, do your laundry, etc., etc. - at no additional cost to you, ever? And at no cost in "resources" to the Earth or Cosmos? No more utility bills, ever. With the money you save on one or a few months' utilities you could purchase a second copy of the same machine, replace your obsolete internal combustion automobile engine with it, and drive wherever you wish, and never again purchase a drop of gasoline! Now imagine this scenario expanded throughout all human society, and all human industry. Suddenly - quite swiftly - the energy systems of all manufacturing plants would be converted from costly utilities delivered by cables and pipes to powerful free energy devices operating on-site at no cost, eventually powering all manufacturing, and significantly reducing the cost of every manufactured item. Many of the hidden costs of manufacturing, such as air pollution originating from fossil energy systems, would immediately disappear as well. And these are only a few of the most obvious benefits resulting from a simple "change of heart" on the part of a very few human individuals. And what of the "energy barrons?" Wouldn't such a development put them "out of business" overnight as well? Out of the "energy business," yes. There would be no more "energy business" ever again, just as there has never been an "air business." Yet limitless energy translates effectively into limitless wealth - for the erstwhile "energy barrons" no less than for everyone else. So "they" don't stand to lose anything. Everyone stands to gain everything! Another technology which may already be secretly within the human repertoire, which I intutively suspect may be related to some of the existing free energy technologies, is "antigravity," the means of levitating and altering the mass and inertia of massive objects, including vehicles. There is abundant evidence for the presence on Earth of such technologies,10 some of which may have been humanly "back-engineered" from ET sources. In any case, wouldn't that be just "the icing on the cake," a transportation technology giving humans literally the freedom of the skies, obviating roads, bridges, airports..., in fact eliminating "gateways" of all descriptions. You want to go somewhere, across town, across the planet, across the Solar System, across the Galaxy: just hop into the "flying saucer" conveniently parked in your garage, and go! Birds and flying insects have been dong this (at least on Earth) for millions of years. Why not you or me? Your entire residence may even be your "flying saucer," which you can set down at will anywhere, for as long or short a stay as you like, on or off the planet, or even under the sea. What an amazing and glorious future we could all enjoy, if only.... Well, I could go on and on with this fantasy; but don't imagine I am under the illusion that all this is likely to come about, if only a handfull of "energy barrons" were to experience a "change of heart," and publicly disclose the secrets of free energy. That may be a remote possibility, and very nice; but by itself, it still would not be sufficient - although it would help - to alter the global course of human events. Dr. Lindemann expressed it nicely in his essay, cited above:6
I submit to your deep consideration the proposition that the "greater Truth" to which Dr. Lindemann refers is the realization simply that we all are One; and that all these tantalizing possibilities for the future of our race, our planet, and our experience in Cosmos, depend decisively upon a sufficient minority among us, in all walks and strata of human society throughout the Earth, spontaneously arriving at this single realization, and acting upon it, in our every thought, word, and deed. If you think "a mass landing of ET craft" might contribute to catalyzing such a widespread realization, or is otherwise likely to be a "good thing," then follow the instructions in the document cited above,2 and "vote" for it. If you wish to become active in encouraging other developments along this or parallel lines, NESARA11 comes to mind as something that may engage your interest. Mainly, be aware that your future, and the future of the Earth, are in your hands, and heart, and mind, not in the hands of the angels, or "aliens from outer space," or the "energy barrons," or anyone else, on or off the planet, upon whom you can rely to pull your bacon out of the fire. Then, act in harmony with what you find within yourself to be true - which is probably (isn't it?) what you already do anyway, every moment of every day. Thank you for your time and attention. Love, Peace, Joy, Now,
1. Duane Elgin, in an interview with Carter Phipps, What is Enlightenment?, Spring / Summer 2001, p. 30. 2. CHANGE THE WORLD!, A message of unknown origin which came to our attention 10/8/03. 3. See my November 1998 essay,"Aliens From Outer Space", et seq. in the Intelligence section of the Freedom Digital Library for extended commentary on the presence of human and non-human intelligent life forms not native to Earth or the Solar System. 4. Steven M. Greer M.D., Extraterrestrial Contact: The Evidence and Implications, Crossing Point, Inc. Publications, Afton, Virginia, 1999, ISBN: 0-9673238-0-0. 5. The speed of light c = 2.998 × 1010 cm/s; c2 = 8.998 × 1020 cm/s; × 1000g (1kg) =8.998 × 1023 ergs; = 8.998 × 1016 jouls; = 2.497 × 1010 kWh (kilowatt-hours). That is, by the E = mc2 formula, one kilogram, or 2.2 pounds of attoms, contain 24,970,000,000 kilowatt-hours of energy. Quite a package! At the rate I pay for electricity, $0.073 per kWh, that works out to $1,815,067,877 USD worth of energy: 2.2 pounds of atoms. Surprised? Me too. Here is another equation to consider: energy = wealth. Think about it. 6. See Peter Lindemann's March 2001 essay,"The World of Free Energy", in the Energy section of the Freedom Digital Library, and The Unnecessary Energy Crisis: How to Solve It Quickly by T. E. Bearden, LTC, U.S. Army (Retired) CEO, CTEC Inc., Director, Association of Distinguished American Scientists (ADAS), Fellow Emeritus, Alpha Foundation's Institute for Advanced Study (AIAS). 7. See my illustrated essay, Sharing the Commonwealth in the Peace section of the Freedom Digital Library. 8. See Nikola Tesla's Autobiography in the Energy section of the Freedom Digital Library. 9. See Paragraph 4.2. of the FDL Draft Vision Statement for a discussion of why information too is a necessary component of the human commonwealth. 10. Paul R. Hill, Unconventional Flying Objects: A Scientific Analysis, Hampton Roads Publishing Company, Inc., Charlottesville, Virginia, 1995. 11. National Economic Security And Reformation Act in the Peace section of the Freedom Digital Library; and at http://www.nesara.us, among a great many others.
|